Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s address at the inauguration of Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial at 26 Alipur Road, Delhi 
My colleague in the council of ministers Shriman Thavarchand Gehlot, Shriman Ram Vilas Paswan Ji, Member of Parliament from this constituency and my colleague in the council of ministers Dr. Harsh Vardhan Ji, Shri Ramdas Athawale Ji, Shriman Vijay Sampla Ji, and all the distinguished people, ladies and gentlemen present here,
First of all I sincerely congratulate 1.25 billion countrymen because today they have got an invaluable gift in form of Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial. I myself feel very fortunate while dedicating this national memorial constructed in the memory of Baba Saheb to the nation.
The country is also celebrating the festival of Baisakhi. Baisakhi is the day to honor the labour of those who feed us – our farmers. I greet the country on the occasion of Baisakhi. Today is also the anniversary of Jalianwala Bag massacre. The way atrocities of the British Raj were committed on the freedom fighters 99 years ago, that is one of the most heart rending events of the human history. I bow down to every freedom fighter who was martyred the Jalianwala Bag massacre.
Friends, several governments were there after the independence, a lot of time has lapsed but the work that should have been done a long time ago, that work is taking place today after several decades. And that is why, it is an extremely emotional moment to come to this place and attend this function and to stand on the ground where Baba Saheb had spent his last days. So this national memorial build in the memory of Baba Saheb, in the name of Baba Saheb, this is an emotional tribute to Baba Saheb on behalf of the country. Tomorrow, it is Baba Saheb’s anniversary and a day before that organization of this kind of event at this place shows our unshakable devotion towards him, it shows the government’s commitment.
I thoroughly appreciate the ministry of social justice and empowerment and other concerned departments of Government of India for completing this holy work.
I bow down to every single worker who has shed a lot of sweat in the construction of the memorial. Most of them will not be here today, they would be engaged in their work far away from this function, and however, I bow down to them too.
Brothers and sisters,
This memorial constructed at 26, Alipur Road has etched permanently not only on the map of Delhi but on the map of the country as well. People will be able to better understand the things related to the life of Baba Saheb and his approach in a better manner after visiting this place.
This memorial is a symbol of an extraordinary life of an extraordinary person. This memorial is the remembrance of the last days of a talented son of Mother India.
Brothers and sisters,
This memorial has been built in the shape of a book. This book is the constitution of India the sculptor of this book was Doctor Baba Saheb Ambedkar.
By enacting the constitution, Baba Saheb ensured that the world’s largest democracy will remain a democracy.
When today’s new generation will visit this memorial then it will be able to properly understand the infinite expansion of the life of Baba Saheb by visiting the exhibition here, by experiencing the important milestone of his life in the museum with the help of modern technology.
Friends, our government has been fortunate that it got the opportunity to develop the five important places related to Baba Saheb Ambedkar; the places that I always respectfully remember as five pilgrims. Shriman Gehlot has explained it in detail just a while ago.
The birth place of Baba Saheb located in Mhow in Madhya Pradesh; Doctor Ambedkar Memorial, his place of education located in London; the place of baptism in Nagpur; Chaitya Bhumi located in Mumbai; and his place of final salvation located here in Delhi in form of this national memorial. These places, these pilgrim centers, these are not just the buildings made of bricks and cement, but these are living institutions, these are the top institutions of ideas.
Friends, this building is grand and this building is divine too. Friends, this grand and divine building is an example of the work culture of this government too. When the discussion on building a national memorial at this place was started, it was during the time of the government of Atal Bihari Bajpai, please just think that how many years have passed since then, the matter was taken forward. However, after the tenure of Atal Ji’s government; during the time of Congress Government all the files of this project were stopped; the work was stopped.
In 2014, the countrymen once again gave us the opportunity to serve. We had to search the files of 26, Alipur Road after formation of our government in 2014. We found out all of them and once we had got the files we started the work at a fast pace.
I had said this thing on 26 March 2016 while laying the foundation stone for this memorial that I would like to inaugurate it before the birth anniversary of Baba Saheb in 2018. And I would like to say with all the humility that we have tried to develop such a work culture that we shall dedicate the projects foundation stones for which have been laid by us.
How the timeliness, the trust on resources and the will power of the government bring about changes, today, we can understand all these things very well by seeing the grand building before us.
Friends, in democracy you are required to set your own accountability before the people seek accountability. You yourself should set your accountability. However, this kind of accountability was rarely seen about the earlier governments. This government has completely transformed this system.
Perhaps, some of you would have visited Ambedkar International Centre built at 15 Janpath in Delhi. In 1992, just imagine, the idea of this centre was mooted in 1992. However, these files were buried somewhere for 22 years, they were lost somewhere. Within a year of taking charge in Delhi, I got the opportunity to lay the foundation stone for that centre in April, 2015 and a few months ago I dedicated it to public in December. Now, this symbol of the ideas of Dr. Ambedkar, this state of the art International Centre is one more gem in the grand view of Delhi.
Brothers and sisters, the systems can be transformed in this manner only when the shortcomings are understood and removed by going to the bottom of the issues. I was there in Champaran just three days ago. I had also inaugurated the first phase of an electric locomotive factory located in Madhepura. This project had a similar story. It was approved in year 2007 but started in year 2015 after formation of our government. The previous government had wasted 7 years in movement of files.
Because of the efforts made by our government in the last two and two and a half years, now the production of one of the most powerful engines in the world has already started in this factory. If I start listing out this kind of projects before you people then, perhaps, it might take several days. Baba Saheb had never thought about this thing that after the independence our country would get a work culture of creating hurdles, creating confusion and the work culture of keeping things pending. He had never thought that the projects will not be completed for up to 30-40 years during the tenure of governments in future. Keeping these projects incomplete like this is a big crime against the country.
Friends,
In the last four years, our government has been doing the job of completing the incomplete projects by actively looking for them. Today, the work to complete the projects worth Rs. 9 lakh crore which were stuck in the past has been going on at a fast speed through the PRAGATI meetings taking place under the direct supervision of Prime Minister’s Office. In the last four years, the development of the country has picked up the pace due to PRAGATI meetings.
Friends,
This mantra of not crying over the lack of resources and remaining unaffected because of the influences becomes the strength for anyone. And Baba Saheb has provided this strength to us through his life. That is why you will not find this government crying over lack of resources. We continue to make efforts by having confidence in our resources and in our capabilities. And this thinking and Baba Saheb have taught us to clearly set our target and then completely dedicate ourselves to achieve that target.
Brothers and sisters,
Exactly one month ago, a program was organized here in Delhi. And people from all over the world have gathered in that. In that program, other countries of the world put forward their views on how to end TB by 2030. In the same meeting, India announced that it will work to completely eradicate TB by 2025. It means that we have preponed the date to achieve our target by five years in comparison with other countries.
Please see, the earlier governments used to apply their minds for extending the deadlines for completing the work. This government believes in further preponing the date for completing the work. And what are these works? See, this war against TB is not for rich people. This TB has entrenched itself in the house of poor people. And who are these poor people? These are Dalits, these are persecuted, exploited and excluded people. And this was the dream of Baba Saheb Ambedkar to set them free of these difficulties. And we have dedicated ourselves in realizing that dream.
The government has preponed the last date by two-three years for completing the work - be it the immunization program for pregnant women and for kids in the remote areas of the country or be it the scheme to link rural roads. The scheme which was to be completed in 2022, we have asked about that scheme that why it can’t be completed in 2020? The work which was to be completed in 2024; we have asked why it can’t be done by 2022?
Friends,
Equality is integral to Baba Saheb’s ideology in several ways. Equal respect, equality before law, equal rights, equality of human dignity and equality of opportunity, Baba Saheb continued to explain and raise numerous such issues throughout his life. He had expressed hope that Governments in India would be following the principles laid down in the constitution without any discrimination. He had always expressed hope that Governments in India would be following the principles laid down in the constitution without any discrimination.
Today, you would feel that the values of social justice and equal rights for all are the core values for every scheme of the Government. The Government schemes have been trying to put an end to the imbalance lasting over decades. For example: Jan Dhan Scheme. It was a massive social injustice that millions and millions of people did not have bank accounts so many years after the independence. Our government ended that thing.
More than 31 crore bank accounts have been opened so far under the Jan Dhan Scheme.
Similarly, it was also a form of social injustice that millions and millions of households did not have toilets. This government has constructed 7 crore toilets in the country under the Clean India Mission. Nearly 2.25 crore toilets of the total toilets have been constructed in the houses of my poor SC/STs, persecuted, exploited, deprived and tribals living in the rural areas. In the last four years the country has seen how respect and equality are also being brought through the toilets.
Brothers and sisters, in this modern era not having electricity supply in somebody’s house is also a huge social injustice. In 2014, we had more than 18,000 villages where there was no electricity. These 18,000 villages were compelled live in 18th century even so many years after independence. Our government has resolved to provide electricity by making a public announcement from the Red Fort. By now most of the villages have got the electricity. I have recently received the information that perhaps 200-250 villages have not been covered. And by this time we have also started the tough task of connecting every single household with electricity connection.
Under the Prime Minister Saubhagya scheme, free electricity connections have been given to more than four crore households. When there will be light in the house then it will also brighten the entire society. The Mudra Scheme aimed at promoting the self employment has also been ending the injustice being perpetrated over decades. This is not a fair situation that an youth who dreams of doing something on his own continues to face problem due to lack of bank guarantee and only the people with big schemes get loans from bank. That is why our government provided the option of borrowing bank loans without bank guarantee.
More than 12 crore loans have been sanctioned under the Mudra scheme. And because of this, the opening of numerous doors for self-employment has become possible. Under the Mudra scheme, more than 2.16 crore, more than 2 crore 16 lakh Dalit beneficiaries have received money from banks without guarantee and today they have become self dependent.
Friends, the government has announced one bigger scheme in this budget. The scheme has been discussed the world over. This scheme is a great effort made by us in the direction of abolishing social imbalance. This scheme has been called Ayushman Bharat. Under this scheme, the government is going to provide health insurance coverage to nearly 10-11 crore poor families, it means nearly 45-50 crore people of the country. If someone falls sick in a poor family then a treatment of up to Rs. 5 lakh will be assured for him.
Friends,
Today, if you visit any part of the country then if there is any scheme which has received the maximum discussion among the rural women then this is Ujjwala scheme. For decades, this was the situation of the country that very few households in a village had gas connections. Those families have a special recognition because they had gas connections. It was also an example of social justice that those households did not have a gas connection.
The government has provided more than 3.5 crore gas connections under the Ujjwala scheme. Now this target has been increased to 8 crore gas connections. I believe that if we compare schemes of the last several decades then it has become the most popular scheme for ensuring social justice.
Friends,
This government has also made a continuous effort to restore the social balance through the laws. It is my Government which brought in stringent provisions to prevent atrocities on Dalits in 2015. We have increased the number of crimes against Dalits enlisted in the law from 22 to 47. It means now stringent legal action can be taken for 47 different crimes committed against Dalits.
Friends,
When our Government brought in amendments in this act, the provision of not granting anticipatory bail to the accused persons was maintained as it is. The compensation amount for the victims was also enhanced. Our Government spent more than double the amount compared to the previous Government for implementation of this law.
When the Honorable Supreme Court announced its verdict related to this act then the government immediately field a review petition too. However, a lot of people do not know that there was public holiday of 6 days between the judgment and the filing of the petition. Even well educated people when they meet me they ask: Modi Ji why there was a delay? And when I told them that: brother, there were public holiday for six days then they say: sorry sir, but no one speaks about it.
I want to reassure the nation today that we won’t let the provisions in the law to be stifled, which were made stringent by us. I would like to appeal to the people of the country that they should not be mislead by the Congress and those parties who have surrendered before the Congress culture.
Friends,
Our government is fully committed for the protection of the rights and respect of our Dalit brothers and sisters, and backwards and tribal. Special Courts are being set up to fast track the hearing of the cases related to prevention of atrocities on SCs and STs. The government wants that those who are extremely backward within the OBC they should be able to get more benefit of the reservation in government and educational institutions while keeping it within the stipulated ceiling. Government has also decided to set up a commission for sub-categories of backward castes.
Friends,
Earlier, public servants with an annual income of Rs. 6 lakh were covered under the creamy layer. The government enhanced it to Rs. 8 lakh per annum. It means now many more people of OBCs are getting the benefit of OBC reservation.
Earlier there was no parity in the creamy layer between the employees of government and public sector undertakings. The demand to end this anomaly had been raised for the last 24 years. Please keep in mind that the demand had been raised for the last 24 years. This government has ended this imbalance a few months ago. After assuming the charge at the centre, this government has shown urgency in those vacancies which are reserved for OBCs and SC/STs.
Friends,
For this government social rights are not just a matter of talks, but it’s our commitment. When I talk of a New India, then it is also the India of the dreams of Baba Saheb. The 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar was celebrated in India and abroad in a grand manner. It was celebrated in UNO. It was celebrated in more than 150 countries of the world. And this has happened for the first time. Special postage stamps were released on this occasion.
A tableau on Baba Saheb was put on display on the Republic Day. Many students were sent to the institutions in US and UK where Baba Saheb had pursued his studies. In a historic decision, 26th November was declared as the Constitution day when the constitution was accepted. For the first time, constitution was on the agenda of parliament for two consecutive days. I had narrated one story about myself to Mr. Narendra Yadav when he had met one day. It was of the time when I was chief minister of Gujarat. Our constitution had completed 60 years during that period. It was sixtieth year in India and no one had any idea. In Gujarat, I had organised a big festival on the completion of 60 years of the constitution. And I organised a procession by placing it on the top of an elephant. And I myself was marching ahead of the procession on foot and the constitution and a portrait of Baba Saheb were placed on the top of the elephant. Because we had our commitments. Because we have our dedication.
Brothers and sisters, today, I would like to clearly tell the people of the country that this was Baba Saheb’s commitment to truth, devotion towards duty and his contribution in the holy work of nation building because of which today he lives in the hearts of Indians.
And this thing cannot be forgotten that the Congress has done everything under its power to erase his legacy from the history of the country. This is an extremely bitter truth of history that when Baba Saheb was alive even then Congress had not left any stone unturned in insulting him.
Brothers and sisters, this is why it is very important for today’s generation to know that how Congress party had insulted Baba Saheb when he was alive and even after his death. It is also important for today’s generation to know that how Baba Saheb had exposed the true character of Congress before the country. It is also important for today’s generation to know that how the Congress carries out every kind of conspiracy, how it uses every trick on its sleeves to completely destroy its opponent when the party begins to be surrounded by allegations.
There are a lot of things to talk about the last days of the period when Congress party and Baba Saheb were breaking apart, but if I start talking about those things then perhaps it will take days. But it’s important to remember about these things as they expose the true face of Congress.
Friends, Baba Saheb had resigned from the council of ministers of Pandit Nehru because of lot of controversies. Baba Saheb had discussed about the pain caused to him one by one. He also explained those reasons in detail because of which he had resigned.
I would like to tell you about a few lines of that statement. Talking about these things is also important so that the Dalit community, the tribal community, the backward community of the country, so that every Indian could know how the Congress party, which had imposed emergency on the country, had treated the creator of the constitution.
Friends, Baba Saheb had written: ‘I had not been included in any committee of the cabinet’. He was a minister. ‘I have not been included in any committee of the cabinet, neither in the committee of foreign affairs nor in the committee of defense affairs. When the committee about the economic affairs was constituted then I was very hopeful that I will be certainly included in that committee as I had been a student of economics and financial issues. However, I was not included even in that committee.’ These are the words of Baba Saheb.
What was the thinking of Congress party about Baba Saheb? Seventy years ago this was the reality. The person who had studied in the top universities of the world, the same person was insulted in Congress party every single moment. Baba Saheb himself had said this thing that he was given charge of just one ministry which did not have much work. He was thinking that he would join in the task of policy making, he would give the benefit of his experience to the country in those areas where he had mastery. However, he was kept away from all these things. He was not even given the additional responsibility of any ministry at the time of expansion of council of ministers.
Friends, there was one more major reason because of which Baba Saheb had resigned. This reason also explains what has been the attitude of Congress party towards the SC/STs and backward communities of the country.
In his statement, Baba Saheb had written: ‘Now I would like to share you the reason because of which I got disillusioned with the government. This is related to the treatment given to backwards and SC/STs. I regret that there is no proper provision in the constitution for the welfare of the backward castes. This work was to be done on the basis of recommendations made by a commission. The government has not even thought about appointing a commission even though more than one year has lapsed after the adoption of the constitution.’
Friends, since then the thinking of Congress party has not changed so far. The Congress party did not allow any progress on the issue of constituting a commission for backward castes seventy years ago. Even Dr. Ambedkar had to resign. Even today, seventy years after that, Congress party has been stalling the work in the Parliament to give constitutional status to the OBC commission. You would be aware that we, our government, brought the bill to give constitutional status to OBC commission; but  are not allowing its passage; they don’t allow the parliament to function. After getting the constitutional status, OBC commission will also have the powers like SC/ST commission. However, Congress has been creating hurdles in its way.
Friends, I had explained the issue of Baba Sahib's resignation to you people in so much detail because Congress spreads the lies that it had made Baba Saheb law minister of the country. However, every Indian should know how Congress party behaved with Baba Saheb after making him law minister. Because, after the independence the Congress created this kind of ecosystem in the country that the entire history of the country was confined to just one family. You see if someone wants to visit a memorial in Delhi to remember the great souls following the independence then there is no memorial except to those belonging to one family.
A memorial was constructed in the honor of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel after formation of our government and today this memorial in the honor of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar has been built; otherwise there is no space for anyone except one family. Whether these people had not sacrificed their lives for the country? Have they not done anything for the country? Baba Saheb Ambedkar was not a member of Bhartiya Janta Party. Baba Saheb Ambedkar was the creator of a modern India and it is his debt on all of us. He was someone who did not bend down before the Congress ecosystem; and this is a fact that those who did not bend down before the ecosystem of Congress, those people have not been given any space even in books.
Friends, after resigning from cabinet in 1951, Baba Saheb contested general election for the Lok Sabha. Congress not only fielded its candidate against him at that time but Nehru Ji himself went there to campaign against him. Baba Saheb had to suffer the humiliation of defeat as Congress deployed its entire might against him. After that, he again contested by-election for Lok Sabha from Bhandara seat in 1953. Congress again fielded its candidate against him and blocked him from getting into the Lok Sabha. If there was anyone who supported during this entire period of humiliation then he was Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. Baba Saheb became Rajya Sabha member because of his efforts. And the same Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee founded Jan Sangh which is today working as Bhartiya Janta Party.
Friends, today I challenge Congress. Let them say one thing that they had done for Baba Saheb. And this is my challenge to Congress, please tell one thing that you have done in the honor of Baba Saheb.
Brothers and sisters, you and I know that Congress doesn’t have any answers for this thing. They can only lie in the name of giving answers. The truth is that Congress also tried to erase the contribution of Baba Saheb in nation building after his death. From Nehru Ji to Rajiv Gandhi, several people in Congress were honored with Bharat Ratna. However, Baba Saheb was never considered worthy of Bharat Ratna.
Baba Saheb was honored with Bharat Ratna when VP Singh was in power with the support of Bhartiya Janta Party and it was on the insistence of Atal Ji and Advani Ji that he was finally honored with Bharat Ratna so late. It was due to effort of BJP that Baba Saheb’s portrait was installed in the central hall of Parliament. Otherwise, you just imagine that these kind of logics were offered against installation of Baba Saheb’s portrait in the central hall of Indian Parliament that there was no space for his portrait.
Just imagine the great soul who crafted the constitution by sitting in the central hall; where he had discussed its finer points for hours; and during the Congress regime there was no space in the central hall for installation of the same person’s portrait, one or two feet, or four feet tall. And then they talk like this. And when Bhartiya Janta Party came into power then the portrait of Baba Saheb was installed in the central hall.
Brothers and sisters, I can say this thing with the full sense of authority that if a nationwide discussion on the rights of backwards and Dalits had not started in the country in the 90s then even today Congress would be openly reflecting its hatred towards Baba Saheb as it used to do earlier. But now there are compulsions as Congress sees vote bank, Congress sees power in the name of Baba Saheb so it has started the pretention of remembering Baba Saheb’s name. I believe that for Congress it is one of the biggest compulsions of the party in its history to remember Baba Saheb’s name.
This is the result of great deeds done by Baba Saheb and the service to the country done by Baba Saheb that those who worship just one family, those who consider only one family as the savior of the country have now been compelled to remember the name of Baba Saheb with a heavy heart. But I know that Congress will not do even this much. It could only spread confusion, it could lie to Dalits, backwards and tribals, it could spread rumor among them. And we have seen one glimpse of this effort on the second of this month. Sometimes rumors are spread that the reservation will be abolished and it’s their job to spread this rumors before every election. Atal Ji’s government was there; we have been in power for the last four years; I had been the chief minister of Gujarat for a long period; Bhartiya Janta Party has been running governments in several states and there never was any discussion about abolishing the reservation. Spreading rumors, spreading the lies, causing confusion, misguiding people and at times by spreading the rumours about abolition of laws related to prevention of atrocities on SCs/STs; the Congress is not leaving any stone unturned in turning the man against his brother.
Friends, Congress never wanted this thing and nor it want it today that Dalits and backwards join the mainstream of the development whereas our government has been trying to ensure that the benefits of development reach to every section of the society by following the path shown by Baba Saheb, by following the formula of Sabka Sath – Sabka Vikas. Any person or political party who has an honest faith in Baba Saheb, who remembers his name, it will never go with Congress.
Friends, I could have not so easily understood Baba Saheb had I not been born in a backward and poor family. I have seen poverty; I’ve heard the foul language linked to the caste; and sometimes I hear them even after becoming Prime Minister; and I have also suffered taunts. That is why it has been easier for a person like me to understand that what Baba Saheb had gone through in that period. Even today, my Dalit brothers have to endure what kind of things.
Because of the inspiration from Baba Saheb, Village Self Rule Campaign is going to start in the country from tomorrow, which is his birth anniversary. I myself will be Bijapur in Chhattisgarh. Also a new chapter is going to start from tomorrow to end the imbalance in the regional development; it’s also a kind of injustice; a new chapter to end the imbalance in health is going to start.
Friends,
For this government, social justice is not something to just talk about, but it’s a commitment. For us it is like a devotion. However, the kind of incidents we have seen in the last 20-22 days, those incidents challenge the concept of social justice. The incidents which have been under discussion during the last two days, those incidents certainly do not behove any civilised society. These are utterly shameful. This is an affront to the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the future of this country. As a society, as a country, all of us are feeling ashamed because of this. This kind of incidents occurring in any state of the country or in any part of the country they shake our human sensitivities.
I would like to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared and justice will be done and the complete justice will be done. The horror that has been committed on those daughters; the justice will be done to those daughters. All of us will have to work together to end this internal vice of our society. And you people would remember this thing that it was my first speech from the ramparts of Red Fort in Delhi and I showed the courage of saying this thing from the Red Fort. And in my first speech I had said this thing; and I had said although we worship girls but if she comes back home late then we ask her that where she had gone? Where were you? Why did you come late?
I had said that those parents who question their daughters that you should ask your sons where was he, why did he come back late in the night? These atrocities that have been committed on mothers and sisters, it is always done by the son of some mother and that is why a kind of social sensitivity is needed and it is the responsibility of all of us. All of us need to collectively fight with these vices of our society and it’s the responsibility of all of us that the harshest punishment is meted out to the perpetrators and I would like to assure this thing to the citizens of this country that Government of India will not allow any lapses to take place in the fulfillment of this responsibility. We will have to strengthen the institution of our families, our social values and our judicial system, all these things, only then we will be able to make the India as was envisioned by Baba Saheb, only then we will be able to make a New India.
I conclude my speech with this one wish that may Baba Saheb continue to bless the country, may he continue to bless the 1.25 billion Indians and we should continue to take inspirations from his ideas.
Once again I convey my best wishes to all of you, to all the countrymen for Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial.
Thank you very much. Jai Bheem.